Tennessee

Disability and research resources in Tennessee.

• The Arc Tennessee

  The Arc Tennessee is a grassroots, non-profit, statewide organization on intellectual & developmental disabilities. It was founded in 1952 and is affiliated with The Arc of the United States. The Arc Tennessee is also a membership organization composed of people with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities, their parents, friends, and the professionals who assist them in reaching their goals.

• Autism Tennessee

  Monthly workshops, orientations, annual conferences, support groups, referral to local resources, phone support, educational and legislative advocacy, public awareness opportunities and trainings, and an active involvement in the larger disability community.

• Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD)

  The Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) is an interdisciplinary program that supports children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families through training, service, applied research, information dissemination, planning, and policy development.

• Disability Rights Tennessee

  Disability Rights Tennessee advocates for the rights of Tennesseans with disabilities to ensure they have an equal opportunity to be productive and respected members of our society.

• Family Voices of Tennessee

  Family-Voices, Inc., was founded in 1992 by family leaders concerned about the changing health care environment and the implications for our children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other special health care needs.

• Fulfill the Promise

  An initiative to gain home and community based services for individuals with developmental disabilities, and does not include individuals with intellectual disabilities, in the state of Tennessee. Currently, there are almost no State funded services that provide assistance with this population.

• KidCentral TN

  This website provides information on health, education, development and support to Tennessee families, as well as a searchable State Services Directory. In the Parent Profile section, parents can use enhanced features of the website, including the ability to tag articles that are important for their child and to explore unique developmental milestones based on their child's age. Parents can also receive recommendations for articles and services that might fit their family.

• Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP)

  STEP is a statewide family-to-family program in Tennessee, established in 1989 by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of STEP is to support families by providing free information, advocacy training, and support services to parents of children eligible to receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) who reside in Tennessee.

• Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis

  The Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis mission is to advance awareness, development, and access to the practice of behavior analysis in the State of Tennessee

• Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability

  The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability is working for adults with disabilities and older Tennesseans by providing leadership and guidance for a system that promotes health, dignity, independence and security through an array of community and in-home services, the protection of rights and the implementation of best practices.

• Tennessee Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder

  The goal of the Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder is to establish a long-term plan for a system of care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families.

• Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities

  The Council on Developmental Disabilities provides leadership to ensure independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the community through promotion of systems change.

• Tennessee Deaf-Blind Project

  A federally funded program designed to equip families, educators, and other professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve outcomes for individuals from birth through age twenty-one who have both vision and hearing impairments.

• Tennessee Department of Children's Services

  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will benefit some of Tennessee's most vulnerable citizens -- those served by the state Department of Children's Services. Title IV-E is the federal program that provides assistance to public child welfare agencies, such as DCS. The Title IV-E match provides foster-care maintenance to the states on behalf of children who come into state custody. It also provides adoption assistance and reimbursement for training and administrative expenses.

• Tennessee Department of Education

  President Barack Obama recently signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is an unprecedented effort to improve education and the economy, and create or save millions of jobs. Included in the package is some $115 billion in education aid for states across the country. The Tennessee Department of Education will serve as a clearing house for information regarding how these dollars will impact our state and school systems.

• Tennessee Department of Health

  President Barack Obama recently signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is an unprecedented effort to improve health services and the economy, and create or save millions of jobs. Included in the package is $155 million for health clinics across the country. The Tennessee Department of Health will serve as a clearing house for information regarding how these dollars will impact our state and public health services.

• Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

  Provides, in addition to Vocational Rehabilitation Services, other vocational programs which are funded by state government and federal grants to provide adults with intellectual disabilities a range of vocational services including supported employment, vocational training and day vocational programs.

• Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

  The state agency responsible for overseeing services for individuals and their families with mental health and substance abuse.

• Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Network

  Four statewide organizations in Tennessee partner with one another and with individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members to ensure that they receive the services and supports they need.

• Tennessee Disability Coalition

  The Tennessee Disability Coalition is an alliance of organizations and individuals who have joined to promote the full and equal participation of men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life.

• Tennessee Disability MegaConference

  This link gives information concerning the Tennessee Disability MegaConference.

• Tennessee Disability Pathfinder

  Phone, web, and print resources in English and Spanish to connect the Tennessee disability community with service providers. Referral services, free of cost, are provided to persons with disabilities, family members, service providers, and advocates.

• Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS)

  TEIS is a voluntary educational program for families with children ages birth to three years old with disabilities or developmental delays. TEIS links families with support and services to help them work with their child who has a disability or developmental delay.

• Tennessee Justice Center

  The Tennessee Justice Center is a non-profit, public interest law and advocacy firm. We help parents and foster parents advocate for their children to get medically necessary health and mental health care from TennCare.

• Tennessee Special Olympics

  The mission statement of the Tennessee Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

• Transition Tennessee

  Designed for educators, this website is a “blueprint” to building a comprehensive transition program for students with disabilities.